On HowlRound: The Value of Collaboration

Michael Elyanow, author of our spring production of The Children, recently wrote an article on HowlRound (the Journal of the Center for the Theater Commons at Emerson College) about being a playwright and his collaboration with Jessica Kubzansky (director) and Emilie Beck (dramaturg) on The Children.

It’s an excellent article which opens up about what it really means to be a professional playwright and how a wonderful collaboration can make the lack of money worth all the effort. Here is an excerpt:

The experience that I had working with director Jessica Kubzansky and dramaturg Emilie Beck on The Children couldn’t be measured in dollar signs. I was fortunate enough to work with two artists who attacked the play with great care and sensitivity, who asked incisive questions, who challenged my every line but never lost sight of the origins of the play’s beating heart. When collaboration works, you leap together. You dig together. You forgive together. When collaboration works, you learn to become a better artist, communicator, listener, leader, and follower.

Jessica and Emilie both write companion pieces on the collaboration from their own points of view. You can read Jessica’s here at this link and Emilie’s at this link.

HowlRound is a fantastic website continuously updated with articles from nationally recognized theater artists. Add it to your favorites. You can also follow them on Twitter @HowlRound and like them on Facebook.